Mexico Says Army Disabled Drone Scouting Smuggling Routes in Tijuana

Mexico’s Defense Ministry said the Army disabled a commercial drone that crossed from the United States into Nido de las Águilas, Tijuana, on September 14. The ministry said information shared by U.S. Customs and Border Protection indicated a criminal group was using the aircraft to monitor routes for illicit people-smuggling toward the United States. It said patrols and ground reconnaissance led to the suspected operator’s detention and the seizure of a handgun, magazines, cartridges and a drone controller. The detainee and seized items were referred to authorities for legal determination, investigation and forensic work; no person or criminal organization was named.